Today we’re excited to announce the availability of two things to help you get around during your summer break.
Road Traffic Information on Google Maps
The road traffic information feature in Maps, available previously in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and surrounding areas is now also available in Perth and Adelaide.
To turn traffic information on, click the button labelled 'Traffic' next to the 'More' button at the top left of Google Maps. The colours you'll see overlaid on the roads correspond to the speed of traffic (relative to the speed limit of the road): green is free sailing, yellow is medium congestion, red is heavy congestion, and red/black is stop-and-go traffic. The information is updated every few minutes.
Google Maps for Mobile 5
A new version of Google Maps for Android (5.0) is also available today, including some new exciting features: 3D maps, allowing you to zoom in and tilt maps, and 3D interaction, and offline access and rerouting for Google Maps Navigation. You can read more about this over on our Mobile blog, and update to the latest version of Google Maps from the Android Market.
These new features create a faster, more interactive experience where efficiency really matters: on mobile devices. For example, we estimate that viewing maps now requires almost 70% less mobile network data overall than before. Also, your phone can now help you get to places even when you lose a mobile signal. We can’t wait to take the next steps in making Google Maps faster, more reliable, and even more useful no matter where you take it.
Hopefully these new features will help you enjoy your summer break, and make driving to work next year a little easier.
Road Traffic Information on Google Maps
The road traffic information feature in Maps, available previously in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and surrounding areas is now also available in Perth and Adelaide.
To turn traffic information on, click the button labelled 'Traffic' next to the 'More' button at the top left of Google Maps. The colours you'll see overlaid on the roads correspond to the speed of traffic (relative to the speed limit of the road): green is free sailing, yellow is medium congestion, red is heavy congestion, and red/black is stop-and-go traffic. The information is updated every few minutes.
Google Maps for Mobile 5
A new version of Google Maps for Android (5.0) is also available today, including some new exciting features: 3D maps, allowing you to zoom in and tilt maps, and 3D interaction, and offline access and rerouting for Google Maps Navigation. You can read more about this over on our Mobile blog, and update to the latest version of Google Maps from the Android Market.
These new features create a faster, more interactive experience where efficiency really matters: on mobile devices. For example, we estimate that viewing maps now requires almost 70% less mobile network data overall than before. Also, your phone can now help you get to places even when you lose a mobile signal. We can’t wait to take the next steps in making Google Maps faster, more reliable, and even more useful no matter where you take it.
Hopefully these new features will help you enjoy your summer break, and make driving to work next year a little easier.
Posted by Andrew Foster, Product Manager.
